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Autumn Has Arrived!

Don’t Let Hay Fever Spoil It

Known to most people as hay
fever, allergic rhinitis is a
common medical problem
affecting more than 15 percent of
adults and children. It takes two
different forms:

♦
Seasonal
Symptoms of seasonal
allergic rhinitis occur in spring, summer,
and early fall. They are usually
caused by allergic sensitivity to pollens
from trees, grasses, or weeds or to airborne
mold spores.

Some people may experience both
types of rhinitis, with perennial symptoms
getting worse during specific pollen
seasons. There are also non-allergic
causes for rhinitis.

No hay. No fever. So why hay fever? Hay fever is a century-old term
that has come to describe the symptoms
of allergic rhinitis, especially when it
occurs in the late summer. However,
the symptoms are not caused by hay
(ragweed is one of the main culprits)
and are not accompanied by fever. So
the term allergic rhinitis is more accurate.
Similarly, springtime symptoms
are sometimes called rose fever, but it’s
just coincidental that roses are in full
bloom during the grass-pollinating season.
Roses and other sweet-smelling,
showy flowers rely on bees, not the wind,
for pollination. Not much of their pollen
gets into the air to cause allergies.

Is there any escape?
A common
question from people with allergic rhinitis
is Can I move someplace where my
allergies will go away? Some allergens
are tough to escape. Ragweed (which
affects 75 percent of people with allergic
rhinitis) blankets most of the United
States. Less ragweed is found in a band
along the West Coast, the southernmost
tip of Florida, and northern Maine, but
it is still present. Even parts of Alaska
and Hawaii have a little ragweed.

Allergists seldom recommend moving
to another locale as a cure for allergies.
A person may escape one allergy to
ragweed, for example, only to develop
sensitivity to grasses or other allergens in
the new location. Since moving can have
a disrupting effect on a family financially
and emotionally, relocation should be considered
only in an extreme situation and
only after consultation with your doctor.

How is rhinitis treated?
Once allergic
rhinitis is diagnosed, treatment
options include allergen avoidance, taking
medications for symptom relief,
and immunotherapy.

♦
Avoidance
A single ragweed plant
may release one million pollen grains
in just one day. The pollen from ragweed,
grasses, and trees is so small that
the wind may carry it miles from its
source. Mold spores (which grow outdoors
in fields and on dead leaves) also
are everywhere and may outnumber
pollen grains in the air even when the
pollen season is at its worst.

While it’s difficult to escape pollen
and molds, there are ways to lessen
exposure. Keep windows closed and
use air conditioning in the summer, if
possible. Automobile air conditioners
help, too. Don’t hang clothing outdoors
to dry. Pollen may cling to towels and
sheets. The outdoor air usually is most
heavily saturated with pollen and mold
between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., so early
morning is a good time to limit outdoor
activities. Wear a pollen mask when
mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or
gardening and take appropriate medication
beforehand.

♦
Medication
When avoidance measures
don’t control symptoms, medication
may be the answer. Medications help
to reduce nasal congestion, runny nose,
sneezing, and itching. They are available
in many forms, including tablets,
nasal sprays, eye drops, and liquids.

♦
Immunotherapy
Allergen immunotherapy,
known as allergy shots, may
be recommended for people who don’t
respond well to treatment with medications,
experience side effects from
medications, have allergen exposure that
is unavoidable, or desire a more permanent
solution to their allergic problem.
Immunotherapy can be very effective
in controlling allergic symptoms.

There are many hay fever remedies,
and each person’s treatment must be
individualized based on the frequency,
severity, and duration of symptoms
and on the degree of allergic sensitivity.
It’s important to talk to your doctor
about ways to reduce your fall allergy
symptoms.